Overexpression of bcl-2 protein inhibits terminal differentiation of oral keratinocytes in vitro.
The bcl-2 proto-oncogene is a known inhibitor of apoptosis; in normal human stratified squamous epithelium, its expression is restricted to the basal cell layer. To investigate the functional role of bcl-2 protein in the process of differentiation of oral keratinocytes, bcl-2 expression vector was transfected into SCC-25 cells, which normally undergo squamous cell differentiation in vitro while expressing specific differentiation markers, e.g., keratin 10/11 and involucrin. In bcl-2 transfected SCC-25 cells, the expression of these differentiation markers was markedly suppressed. The bcl-2 proto-oncogene may play a critical role in opposing the commitment to terminal differentiation and apoptosis of oral keratinocytes.
Harada
H
H
Second Department of Oral Anatomy and Cell Biology, Kyushu Dental College, Kitakyushu, Japan.
Mitsuyasu
T
T
Seta
Y
Y
Maruoka
Y
Y
Toyoshima
K
K
Yasumoto
S
S
D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D015536:Down-Regulation; D019254:Genes, bcl-2; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D007633:Keratins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
C000715470:MAS1 protein, human; D011498:Protein Precursors; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; C032253:involucrin; D007633:Keratins